Food For the Poor will be taking the Olympic Games inside the prisons, giving hundreds of inmates the opportunity to watch Jamaica's progress at the championships which started yesterday in Beijing, China.

The charity has donated 17 television sets, acquired by its Florida office, to penal facilities across the island.

Commissioner of Corrections, Major Richard Reese, confirmed the donation, but stated that the inmates could watch the Games only when they are out of their cells.

Reese told The Gleaner yesterday that no special arrangements would be made for the inmates to watch the events. Beijing is 13 hours ahead of Jamaica, which means that competition will take place early in the morning.

Sandra Ramsey, manager of prison ministries at Food For the Poor, said the initiative is part of rehabilitation of prisoners.

She said response from the inmates has been positive.

"They are lucky they want to watch, everybody is excited about this Olympics," she said.

Bradley Finzi-Smith, executive director of Food For the Poor's Jamaica office, said it and non-government organisations have donated television sets to prisons for more than 10 years.